OTL: New tradition at Christmas Station in Frankenmuth

Weiner schnitzel, this with pork, and spätzle at The Old Christmas Station Restaurant, located at 100 South Main Street in Frankenmuth. (Matthew Woods | for the Daily News)

Weiner schnitzel, this with pork, and spätzle at The Old Christmas Station Restaurant, located at 100 South Main Street in Frankenmuth. (Matthew Woods | for the Daily News)

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Weiner schnitzel, this with pork, and spätzle at The Old Christmas Station Restaurant, located at 100 South Main Street in Frankenmuth. (Matthew Woods | for the Daily News)

Weiner schnitzel, this with pork, and spätzle at The Old Christmas Station Restaurant, located at 100 South Main Street in Frankenmuth. (Matthew Woods | for the Daily News)

OTL: New tradition at Christmas Station in Frankenmuth

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I really blew the budget on this week's column, and I am not in the least bit sorry for it. Dare I say I had a life changing experience and it is my mission to tell you all about it. The new object of my desire is The Old Christmas Station Restaurant, located at 100 South Main Street in Frankenmuth.

I tend to stay away from doing seasonally themed columns for two simple reasons: bad planning and general forgetfulness. But being how my brother had a birthday this year and the fact that he is more of a foodie than me, we decided to try something different for his special meal.

A reader suggested the Old Christmas Station to me well over a year ago, and the stars finally lined up for it to happen. What I like about this particular restaurant is that it offers amazing and authentic fare in Frankenmuth, but may be off the food radar for people when visiting the little Christmas town.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not casting any shade on many of the other wonderful places to eat in Frankenmuth (and those are places I hope to visit for the column in the future) but my dip in to unfamiliar dining waters turned out to be so enjoyable and memorable.

I don't know if I can communicate this message well, but sitting in the beautiful little Old Christmas Station let me know the staff is serious about their fare, and it added such a wonderful flavor to the evening. My brother and I were amazed as each course made it to our table. I can't speak for him, but I know the wonderful cuisine, combined with the atmosphere and attentive and friendly staff made for a dining experience that I won't soon forgot.

You will see a theme here as all of the dishes delivered to our table got a solid 10 out of 10 on presentation alone. Taste, both new a familiar, is what we are after when it comes to dining out, but when the people in the kitchen really care about their food, the presentation on the plate can really help to carry that meal in to a memory.

Our dinners began with a beautiful salad and I can't say I remember a prettier looking starter in recent meals. Diced carrots and red and green peppers flanked fresh greens and a sliced cucumbers, and a raspberry vinaigrette did its job in keeping the salad delicious and light and not too heavy before the star attraction arrived.

My brother added the tomato soup to his meal. Served with a nice little stack of Swiss cheese bread, this was probably the best tomato soup I have ever encountered. A bit of ground beef bumped out the flavor in a hearty way, and the tomatoes carried not the least hint of acidity. You may have noticed that I said my brother ordered the soup, but when you dine with me, no food on that table is safe from my tasting spoon. You have been warned.

On to the entrees. Weiner schnitzel is one of those meals that I knew was out there but one that wouldn't have necessarily made it to my list of must haves for the column. Boy howdy, was I never more wrong about something. At the Old Christmas Station you have a choice of veal or pork schnitzel, and although it seems veal is the more traditional choice, I chose my old friend pork for this visit.

I can't believe something that has been breaded and fried (expertly by the way) could taste so light. I know opinions vary, but it is great to see something that can be pan fried to GBD (golden, brown and delicious) doesn't leave you feeling dumpy and bloated well before the end of your meal. I didn't know GBD could be done so well. The mushroom sauce was also wonderful, but honestly the schnitzel would have been just as perfect without it.

As many of you probably know, the cutlet is pounded thin as part of the preparation before breading and frying. After we placed out orders, before too long we could hear the process back in the kitchen. It may not be music to your ears, but it sure was to my brother and me, and it was a nice auditory element to the preparation of such a memorable meal. Call it tradition or whatever, but it was old school cool knowing so much work went in to that unforgettable meal.

This was also my first dance with spätzle. Calling this thing from heaven a simple egg noodle would be wrong on so many levels, but if you happen to know how it is made, or did your research like me by watching how-to videos on line, the delicious concoction seems so simple.

But don't let that fool you as those little dumplings carry so much flavor I could have made it a meal all unto itself. A nice bit of chewiness was a great contrast to the crispiness of the breaded schnitzel, and I am happy to say all of the flavors and textures played together nicely on the plate. If this stuff doesn't stick to your ribs I would consult a physician, because you probably are missing a few.

The spätzle reminded me so much of gnocchi, but no potatoes are harmed in its preparation. Eggs and flour are the main ingredients for this wonderful pasta, and something so simple has no business tasting so wonderful.

The Old Christmas Station offers all kinds of European classics, and their large menu seems so out of proportion to its size. There are several different kinds of schnitzel, along with lamb and fish entrees. You can also get a steak or burger, as well as pasta entrees or quiches and crepes. But if you are planning on dessert you better fast the night before, because the entrees and sides might just do you in for the evening.

The restaurant is open Wednesdays through Mondays, and closed on Tuesdays. Hours vary and I would definitely recommend making a reservation, so check them out at theoldchristmasstation.com.

I know The Old Christmas Station is well beyond the arbitrary budget I stick to for my columns, but in this case the price of admission is so worth the show. So save your pennies a bit longer and trust me on this one. Make that drive to Frankenmuth soon. I'm so glad I did.

So as this year winds down in to the next, let me give you some holiday advice from a person who is not always thrilled with the season: spend good time with good people, appreciate what you have (and sometimes what you don't) and create new rituals. I know that a wonderful meal at a new-to-me place can be just the thing to let me know all can be well. Thanks to the Old Christmas Station Restaurant, I think I have a place to eat every December and hopefully several other times during my year.

Happy holidays and I hope to see you at the table, in the new year.

Matthew Woods writes about his favorite lunch finds. His column, Out to Lunch, will appear here on a regular basis. You can write him at seeyouatthetable@gmail.com